The thing that impresses me about these games are their ability to develop agency between player and character. The FPS aspect alone allows the player to see the game world through the eyes of the character. Also, the peripheral view is limited in FPS, this forces the player to be alert of their surrounds. In contrast to 3rd person view which usually positions the camera just above and behind the character. 3rd person allows for a wider view and by seeing the character, the subconscious separation between player and character is involuntary. FPS also allows the creation of three dimensions in the game world. The use of space is more developed. Compare this to previous 2D games like Super Mario Bros and the 3D aspect of FPS allows for a more rich experience.
Another aspect of games that allow agency between player and character is the highly developed narrative. Games allow the creation of not only plot sequences but also creates narratives through the game world. For example, in the game Fallout 3, which is another FPS, we walk into an abandoned school to proceed in the main narrative. As we progress we see dead bodies hanging from the wall. Upon closer inspection we see that there are knives in the eye socket of the corpse and empty bags next to the corpse. Now this is a great example of spacial narratives, the elements that make up the game world conveys a narrative that us separate from the narrative of the game story.
Today's game technology has advanced greatly from games in the past. The most obvious advancement is in graphics. Developers are able to use programming software to create highly rich game environments. These rich environments take up a lot of storage space and with products like blu-ray discs, these developers can store more on them. Games along with HD televisions are working hand in hand to deliver the best game experience to the players. Games now are available in 1080 and 720 resolutions, delivering the best quality.
Games are essentially puzzles and the puzzles in today's games are well integrated into the game's story. For example, in MW3, the puzzles are presented to players combat scenarios. Players must figure out the best strategy to advance in the level, in some cases the puzzle element involves the element of time. This makes the puzzle that much more interesting as players must negotiate between time spent over figuring out the best strategy.
MW3 is a great game, ever since I played Call of Duty: World at War I was hooked on the FPS type games. The ability to connect and feel as if I was actually in the game world impresses me most. Developers integrated story really well into game play and their ability to develop highly rich environmental elements allows player to develop agency. Puzzles in video games come in many forms and range in difficulty according to skill level. These aspects of game play are all evident in game design and it's amazing to see how games have changed over the years, both mechanically and aesthetically.
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